Yellowstone National Park and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Complete Brucellosis Workshop

Yellowstone National Park and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) concluded a workshop earlier this week that examined the science behind brucellosis and the feasibility or need for suppression of this non-native disease in the Yellowstone bison population.

The workshop featured a panel of scientists with backgrounds in wildlife management and disease ecology who discussed current bison conservation and brucellosis management within the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP). The goals of this plan are to conserve a free-ranging bison population of about 3,000 animals, while minimizing the risk of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle.

The panel examined public attitudes toward the disease and specific scientific factors of Brucella abortus, the bacterium behind the non-native disease brucellosis, including immunology, disease ecology, bison behavior and demographics, conservation biology, and transmission risk to other wildlife and cattle.

At the close of the workshop, the panel provided several key conclusions:

• To date, management to maintain separation between cattle and bison appears to be effective at preventing transmission of brucellosis between these species because no documented transmission has occurred under the IBMP.

• The best available data do not support that vaccination of wild bison with currently available vaccines will be effective at suppressing brucellosis to a level that changes bison management strategies under the IBMP.

• Control of bison population size will likely include culling or removal as tools in the future, along with hunting. Past and current culling practices have not had an apparent effect on reducing the overall prevalence of brucellosis in the bison population.

• Intervention through contraception is not needed to achieve the current goals of the IBMP. Contraception could potentially be a valuable tool for brucellosis suppression, but the available data are insufficient to make a judgment at this time. Further research is needed in this area.

The agencies will consider the panel's findings in the ongoing development of short- and long-term strategies to conserve bison and minimize the risk of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle. A final report from the panel is expected in about three months.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Yellowstone Releases Summer Bison Population Estimate

Yellowstone National Park has completed its annual summer bison population abundance monitoring.

Three airplane surveys were conducted with a high count of the population at 4,230 bison. There are approximately 2,600 bison in the Northern herd and 1,600 in the Central herd this summer. There were about 600 calves-of-the-year observed in a June aerial survey.

This year's observations represent an increase of nearly 14% over last year's count. The peak population estimate of 5,000 bison was recorded in the summer 2005.

The observed rate of population change this past year is within the natural range of expectation for wild bison.

This population estimate is used to inform adaptive management strategies under the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP). The IBMP is a cooperative plan designed to conserve a viable, wild bison population while minimizing the risk of brucellosis transmission between bison and cattle.

The cooperating agencies operating under the IBMP are the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Montana Department of Livestock, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the InterTribal Buffalo Council, the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes, and the Nez Perce Tribe. More information on the IBMP can be found here.


Jeff
Hiking Glacier National Park

FWP, MDOL Announce Environmental Review of Year-Round Bison Tolerance

Earlier this week the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Montana Department of Livestock announced that they will be jointly conducting an environmental review of allowing some bison to inhabit lands adjacent to or near the border of Yellowstone National Park year-round. This scoping notice – the first step in the environmental review process – is intended to solicit public comment regarding the proposal.

The proposed action is an adaptive change to the Interagency Bison Management Plan that would allow for year-round bison use in the following portions of the Gallatin National Forest: The Hebgen Basin, the Cabin Creek Recreation and Wildlife Management Unit, the Monument Mountain Unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area, the Upper Gallatin River corridor, and for year-round use by bull bison in the Gardiner Basin.

Some of the issues intended to be addressed include:

* How would the year-round presence of bison affect public safety?

* What are the effects to private landowners in the vicinity of the year-round bison habitats?

* Would the year-round presence of bison provide for additional bison hunting opportunities?

* Would the bison move back into YNP over time without hazing activities?

* Would there be a measureable change in seasonal bison movements if there was year-round habitat available?

* How would the year-round presence of bison affect local livestock operations?

* How would the year-round presence of bison affect other wildlife and habitat?

* What is the likelihood that bison will move beyond the proposed boundaries, what are consequences of these movements, and how will they be mitigated?

Public meetings on the environmental assessment and decision notice are scheduled for:

* West Yellowstone: Aug. 20, 6-8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn

* Gardiner: Aug. 21, 6-8 p.m. at the Gardiner High School Theatre

The public scoping period will end August 24, with a draft EA expected by late October. Public comment on the draft EA is expected to close in late November, with a final decision on the EA expected by mid-December.

Comments and questions can be directed to:

Bison Habitat EA
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
PO Box 200701
Helena MT 59620
406/994-4042
Email: yearroundbison-scoping@mt.gov

Bison EA
Montana Department of Livestock
PO Box 200201
Helena MT 59620
406/444-9431
Email: bison-EA@mt.gov

Copies of the scoping document can be found on the FWP website.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Video: Bison Goring in Yellowstone

A couple of weeks ago I posted a news item about a man in Yellowstone Park that was gored by a bison after refusing to yield to the animal. I followed that up with a story about a couple who had a very close encounter with a small herd of bison a few years back. Yesterday, I discovered this video that was posted on the Yellowstone National Park Youtube channel. Someone, somehow captured a man being gored and flipped into the air by a bull bison. Although the man appears to have regained himself in the video, he apparently was taken to the hospital afterwards. This, by the way, was not the same incident reported on 6/27.




Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Close Encounter with a Herd of Bison in Yellowstone

Last week I posted a story about a man who suffered several injuries after being tossed nearly 10 feet into the air by a bull bison in Yellowstone National Park, after refusing to yield to the animal as it approached him. Later in the week I happened to read a story posted in Trip Advisor about an extremely close encounter a man and his wife had with a small herd of bison a few years ago. I asked permission from TetonBill if I could post his story in this blog. Here's his story:

My wife and I were in YNP during winter a few of years ago (we go up there a couple of times each winter). We stopped to hike on Blacktail Plateau Drive. We wore our hiking boots (and not snowshoes) because the road was hard packed. After hiking about a mile, we turned around to hike back. As the road started a straight, gentle climb, we saw a bunch of bison walking down the road in our direction. We counted ten of them, with three across in the front rank. The road was only about ten feet across. I stepped off the road to check the snow depth, and it was up to my waist without all my weight on that leg. And the snow further away from the road would certainly have been deeper, perhaps up to my chest. Given my wife's shorter height, it seemed that moving off the road to let the bison pass wasn't much of an option.

So my wife and I stepped to the far side of the road, hoping that these ten bison would simply walk past us. We mostly turned our backs to them as they approached us (thinking we'd appear less threatening) and spoke to each other in soft voices, while I watched them out of the corner of my eye. The bison herd approached us, slowed down, slowed down some more, and then came to a dead stop a few feet away. I could have reached out and touched the closest one.

They began shifting about, scuffing the ground and making snuffling noises. Because we were so close to the front rank (those are really big animals when you're close enough to smell their breath), it was hard to see if any tails were going up, which is a sign of aggression. The bison closest to us turned directly in our direction and increased his snuffling volume. My wife, being ever so helpful, took this moment to softly read aloud from a park brochure that cautions visitors to stay well away from bison because several visitors have been gored. Bison, she helpfully informed me, can weigh 2000 pounds and run 35 miles an hour. These particular (now agitated) bison were just a few feet away.

After several more minutes, one of bison at the front of the herd suddenly charged past us at top speed and ran down the road. It was when we looked back at the remaining nine bison that we saw the yearling. My wife, continuing to share helpful tidbits from the park brochure, explained quietly that bison are particularly dangerous when protecting a young one. I began imagining being trampled by these bison in a stampede, not unlike being run over by nine angry compact cars.

The bison must have reached some kind of decision, because at about this time eight of the nine, including the yearling, thundered by us. They were so close, I could easily have reached out and touched several of them as they ran by. Without exaggeration, the ground shook. For some reason, the last bison did not follow the herd. Instead, he turned away from us and charged full bore into the snowfield.

My wife and I shared a long hug on weak knees, and then finished our hike back to the car. Along the way, we passed some skiers who had witnessed our encounter with the bison. They all seemed impressed that we had survived unmolested, and that neither of us had had a stroke.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Yellowstone visitor gored after failing to yield to approaching bison - thrown 10 feet in the air!

Blooming wildflowers and sparkling geysers remain a perennial display of Mother Nature's own Fourth of July fireworks in Yellowstone National Park. The chance to see abundant wildlife up close and personal also brings thousands of visitors to the park over the summer holiday season.

Sometimes those encounters can get a little too close and personal, as was the case this past Saturday, when a male visitor from Massachusetts in his mid 50s was gored by a bull bison near the Norris Campground.

Though not deliberately taunting the animal, the man instead simply let the bison approach to within a few feet of where he was sitting and refused to move away. The chance for a more brazen view resulted in the man suffering a broken collarbone, shoulder blade, several ribs and a groin injury when he was tossed nearly 10 feet in the air and pinned to the ground. He was airlifted to a hospital in Idaho Falls, ID and is expected to recover.

The animals, which typically weigh between 1,000 pounds for females and 2,000 pounds for males, often congregate near roads and other developed areas where Yellowstone’s 3.5 million annual visitors gather.

Yellowstone officials are reminding park visitors that wildlife are, in fact, wild. Intentionally approaching or disturbing animals is a violation of park regulations, which could ultimately lead to the death of the animal involved. Park rules require that you stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals including elk and bison. If an animal approaches you, it is your responsibility to move a safe distance away, not the animal's.

Park rangers vigorously enforce these regulations that are designed to protect both people and animals. Visitors are also reminded to be vigilant at all times with proper food storage by keeping food, garbage, coolers and other attractants stored in hard-sided vehicles or food storage boxes. Those hiking are also advised to stay on designated trails, hike in groups of three or more people, carry bear spray and to be alert for wildlife. The best defense against attacks is to stay a safe distance from wildlife and use your binoculars, spotting scope or telephoto lens to get a closer look, and never feed, approach, disturb or entice wildlife, including birds, in any way.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

FWP To Begin Bison Management Plan Discussions

Earlier this week Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks announced that they will be hosting a series of public meetings this spring as a first step toward developing a long-term bison conservation and management plan for the state. The plan will be developed through a programmatic environmental impact statement, which will address issues associated with bison and options for their long-term management as a Montana wildlife species.

The programmatic EIS, which will take about three years to complete, will examine an array of issues and possible alternatives—including no action—and each alternative’s potential beneficial and adverse environmental, social, and economic impact.

FWP will begin a formal public “scoping” process as required under the Montana Environmental Policy Act. Public scoping is aimed at identifying issues, impacts, public concerns, and conservation challenges and opportunities. The comments will assist FWP in further identifying issues and developing possible alternatives.

Some issues already identified include: (1) the risk of bison spreading disease to domestic livestock, (2) competition between bison and other wildlife, (3) competition between bison and livestock for rangeland, (4) damage to fencing, (5) public safety, and (6) the legal classification and status of bison in Montana.

Eight scoping meetings are scheduled for May. The sessions will be held from 6-9 p.m., with the first hour dedicated to informal discussions and the remainder of the evening set for recording scoping comments. Here are the meeting dates and locations:

May 14 - Missoula Holiday Inn Downtown – 200 S. Pattee St.
May 15 - Kalispell Red Lion Hotel – 20 N. Main St.
May 16 - Glasgow Cottonwood Inn – 45 1st Ave NE
May 17 - Helena Montana Wild Center – 2668 Broadwater Ave.
May 21 - Billings Holiday Inn Grand MT Convention Center – 5500 Midland Rd.
May 22 - Miles City BLM conference room, BLM center – 111 Garryowen Rd.
May 23 - Great Falls Townhouse Inn – 1411 10th Ave. S.
May 24 - Bozeman Holiday Inn on Baxter – 5 Baxter Lane

Last year, in anticipation of a programmatic EIS proposal, FWP prepared a summary of bison history and activities in the West that offers information related to the possible restoration of bison in Montana. The “Bison Background Document” presents information on the bison's genetic and disease history, management concerns and a brief synopsis of different bison management philosophies among an array of private groups and organizations. The document is available online here. The document may also be obtained on CD or other formats by calling Margaret Morelli at 406-994-6780 or via email at MMorelli@mt.gov.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com